Device for acquiring electric signals coming from the human body and more particularly from the heart

#The present invention relates to a device for acquiring electric signals coming from the human body, and more particularly for acquiring electric signals coming from the heart in order to produce electrocardiograms.

#The electrocardiograph is the basic tool for studying cardiovascular pathologies. There are many types of electrocardiograph producing studies which are complete to a greater or lesser degree.

#The complexity of an electrocardiograph is determined by the number of leads, since the larger the number of leads, the more plentiful the information coming from the heart. At present, there are electrocardiographs which have from one to twelve leads.

#The following description, with reference to the appended drawings given by way of nonlimiting examples, will make it easier to understand the invention, its features and the advantages that it is likely to afford:

#FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the position on the body of a patient of some of the electrodes of an acquisition device of the prior art and the area of the electromagnetic field induced in the loop formed by the leads.

#FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating a trace obtained by the acquisition device of the prior art of FIG. 1.

#FIG. 1 shows the position on the body of an adult patient P of some of the electrodes and especially those referenced L and R of an acquisition device D of the prior art.

#The electrodes L and R are respectively connected-via a box B to an electrocardiograph E by a cable S1 and S2 to allow transmission of the electric signals.

#It is found that the loop formed by the cables S1 and S2 of the electrodes L, R and the box B of the electrocardiograph E allows the formation of an electromagnetic field CE whose area varies according to the position of the electrodes on the body of the patient P and to the distance between the electrodes and the electrocardiograph.